What is a pro forma invoice for?

Asking for payment before you supply anything — a deposit, payment in advance, or an order a customer needs a document to approve. It is a request, not a record of a sale.

Can my customer reclaim VAT on a pro forma?

No. HMRC does not accept a pro forma as evidence for reclaiming VAT. Issue a VAT invoice once the goods or services are supplied or paid for.

Is this pro forma template free?

Yes, with no account, and nothing you type is uploaded. The PDF carries a small BroadPaper line at the foot, which BroadPaper Cloud's paid plan removes.

Free pro forma invoice · UK

Ask to be paid up front, properly.

Price the order, set how long it holds and say how to pay. The pro forma is drawn as you type, marked as not a VAT invoice, and downloads as a PDF.

Your business Business name Address Email Phone VAT or company number

Pro forma invoice details Pro forma number Date Valid for (days) VAT rate (%) Payment terms

Prepared for Name Address

Lines

Description	Quantity	Unit price	Amount	Remove

Free, no account. Nothing you type leaves this page.

BroadPaper Cloud

Sending pro formas for every order before it ships?

Bring the orders as a spreadsheet and BroadPaper Cloud makes a pro forma for each customer at once — then the VAT invoices from the same file once they are paid.

Make them all at once

Free for up to ten documents a month. No card.

What HMRC says about pro forma invoices

Source: VAT Notice 700, 17.3

A pro forma offers goods or services that will only be supplied if payment is received
It cannot be used to reclaim VAT, even if it shows everything a VAT invoice would
It should be clearly marked “this is not a VAT invoice”
Once the goods or services are supplied, or payment is received, a proper VAT invoice must be issued

This template prints the “not a VAT invoice” line on every pro forma, so it cannot be left off.

A summary to help you decide what to put on a document, not tax or legal advice.

Questions

What is a pro forma invoice for?: Asking for payment before you supply anything — a deposit, payment in advance, or an order a customer needs a document to approve. It is a request, not a record of a sale.
Can my customer reclaim VAT on a pro forma?: No. HMRC does not accept a pro forma as evidence for reclaiming VAT. Issue a VAT invoice once the goods or services are supplied or paid for.
Is this pro forma template free?: Yes, with no account, and nothing you type is uploaded. The PDF carries a small BroadPaper line at the foot, which BroadPaper Cloud's paid plan removes.